Masterpiece Content Lens #1

Great Disney World Photos is tops for content, a masterpiece lens in its own right!

Barrie has created a lens that we can go back to again and again, increasing our photography skills, giving us important tips, and the photographs- what a beautiful selection!

Like the rest of the Squidoo lensmasters, this was one of our very favorites.

This masterpiece lens is entered into our annual Masterpiece Lens award contest.

Congratulation, Barrie! We are proud of you and your work!

Masterpiece Commerce Lens #1!

Stamping Shopper is a great commerce lens, where people are ready to take up the hobby by the time they get to the end of the page!

By the time she gets done with us, webseitler has created a new want in us, a desire to do some new projects that we never knew about before. This type of open and interactive commerce sure inspires not only new customers but repeat business! An excellent example of what web commerce can be!

We believe this will be a very successful commerce lens!

We congratulate webseitler on her masterpiece lens, and have entered it in the annual Masterpiece Lens of the Year contest!

Runners Up- Content Master Lens #2

Procrastination Destination, by groovyoldlady, is the LENS TO GO TO for all the help we could possibly need procrastinating!

Its about time someone helped us to CELEBRATE our human nature. And celebrate we do, laughing and enjoying everything she shares with us. She is DEFINITELY groovy! No wonder she's such a popular lensmaster!

Congratulations on your wit, your style, and your great content.

This master lens is entered in the annual Masterpiece Lens of the Year contest!

Runners Up- Commerce Master Lens #2

Trail of Painted Ponies by ishopsouthwest is a delightful, interesting and involving way to generate business! With all the storyteller lensmasters in Squidoo, its no wonder that this lens is so popular!

Many of us have seen huge resin animals painted and decorated up by artists in many cities. Personally I've seen rubber duckies, bears, and a few others. The painted ponies idea really captures the imagination, though!

Congratulations, ishopsouthwest, on your master lens! You have been entered in the annual Masterpiece Lens contest!

Runners Up- Content Master Lens #3

42! Couldn't be just coincidence, could it, that we KNEW that 42 would be a winner on the 42nd day of the year, we just didn't tell RonenV??? Ahhhh, life! It IS ironic, is it not, RonenV?

Like the rest of you lensmasters, we loved this clever, funny and entertaining lens!

Our sincerest congratulations on such terrific work.

Its also going into the masterpiece lens contest!

Runners Up- Commerce Master Lens #3

Tea Lover's Equipment by Nancoix was a favorite of lensmasters and the jurors alike!

Aside from the EXCELLENT taste she showed by her hand-picked selections, she used a really nice technique in her intro- a 'table of contents' so it is easy to see where on her lens you can find what you want.

Even though the right sidebar gives us that information, based on the module titles, how often do people REALLY use the sidebar to its best effect? Nancoix was taking no chances that something special in her commerce lens would be overlooked.

We believe this will be a very successful commerce lens.

Congratulations, Nancoix!

Your master lens is entered in the Masterpiece Lens of the year contest!

Now We're Gettin' Somewhere!

Finally, after a LONG wait, an artist hired to create the badges and logo for the "By Invitation Only" project has begun to come through!

The badges are so the winners and various people involved in the project will be able to be indentified on their squidoo lenses.

We have high hopes that this will be encouraging for lensmasters and visitors alike!

People's Choice For January 2007!

Wow, it was a tight race! EVERY VOTE MADE A DIFFERENCE! We have a winner in our People's Choice contest, I'm delighted to announce, and it is boredofeducation, Damon Hedman, who has been our favorite helper and adviser in January! One of the excellent things about Damon's help is his attention to detail. He finds our broken links. He offers helpful suggestions about our pictures, or heavy modules that are too hard to read. He knows what we need.

For example, see this: "Just built my first lens yesterday. Looks like I've only had a few visitors to it so far and none of them bothered to rate it " "Damon: Great start on your site! There are several people with similar sites who might want to exchange links. If they don't respond... track them down."

It was an interesting month in the forum with Damon, as he was the first person to really PURCHASE a top performing lens by a top lensmaster. Many of us watched that bidding, the transaction and all the details with great interest. According to his normal level of genius, he has decided to make a 'pedigree' for that lens, which is a great idea for any of us who may want to sell a good lens in the future. Once that's finished, we have a great pedigree to model our own on! Damon leads the way!

He's funny too! "Welcome and hi! Feel free to ask Jeffry any questions...Damon" or "Welcome! Squidoo is a lot of fun and NOT addicting! I can quit anytime..." or "Darn! Jeffry got here first to welcome you! Anyway, welcome to Squidoo and feel free to ask Jeffry any questions. Damon" and this: "I just gave it five stars. It looks like it helped. BORK, BORK, BORK. Damon" "What is a farrier? Is it like a terrier?"


We thank you, Damon, for everything. Your patient help and advice sure makes things a lot easier, and our lenses much better for your help. Your willingness to try things and cut a new path is very encouraging.



The winning lens was also Damon's; Severus Snape, the Good, the Bad and the Bizarre. This too, was a tight race.

The first thing I notice on this lens is his GREAT PICTURES. Not too many, but just right to make the page visually interesting and focusing on the information he's giving. His introduction is very tight and clean. He also did something a little unusual in Squidoo intros, he made it a place to post relevant news about his topic.

His first module highlights the conflict and really draws you into the content, even if you've not read Harry Potter before! That's a tough act to follow, but what a wonderful example to all of us about how to write compelling modules step-by-step. He also combined his first module with what looks like a text/write module with the plexo, and he announced the plexo's ability to take html and a photo in the lounge. If we were paying attention, we just learned a great technique!

We can also learn from this lens that a module with just ONE LITTLE POINT, can be a very powerful transition from one train of thought into another. We don't HAVE to fill up every module, though the temptation is there! Damon shows us that sometimes brevity SAYS THE MOST, ACCOMPLISHES THE MOST!

The next module is a book suggestion, which offers the fuller story of the mystery Damon has created up to now. Then he moves into another interactive html plexo with an awesome picture and interesting links that are inviting to vote on. He wants our opinion at JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT, and LOOK! He has lots of comments that are clearly involved in the question he posed!

He moves on from there to the third aspect and again uses an html plexo, looking for readers suggestion on this barely there concept. Then, he offers some really neat cafepress things that engaged participants are sure to want and to value.

Underneath he gives his fans some additional and very interesting things to think about for further exploration; lists his related lenses so they can continue, and ends with a beautiful tribute to a beloved sister.

Five stars simply aren't enough for this extraordinary lens. We can all learn so much from Damon's mastery and his thought processes, that its no wonder he was voted January's favorite squidizen of squidoo lensmasters!

Damon will be entered in our contest:
MASTER LENSMASTERS/GRANDMASTER LENSMASTER!

By Invitation Only

Here we are getting ready to vote on the lenses elected by the Squidoo lensmasters! This is a new experience for us, and a 'private' initiative, meaning that this contest is independent of squidoo proper and is one that is generated, implemented and pursued by regular squidoo lensmasters themselves.

This is a 'support group' for really talented lensmasters, and those who want to show off their talents.

Our hope is that this can be a reference, a credential that each selected lensmaster can display and show, as a jury of their peers has found something really special in their lens.

If you are an experienced lensmaster, who regularly browses squidoo, looks at lenses both new and more mature, and perhaps even masters a group or two, and if you would like to participate in the jury, you are welcome to email me about considering you for one of the limited positions.

Good luck to all participants!